puritanical

adjective

pu·​ri·​tan·​i·​cal ˌpyu̇r-ə-ˈta-ni-kəl 

1

: of, relating to, or characterized by a rigid morality

2

: puritan

puritanically

ˌpyu̇r-ə-ˈta-ni-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of puritanical

• Victorian
• prudish

Examples of puritanical in a Sentence

some of the state laws concerning sexual behavior are vestiges of a more puritanical time and are rarely, if ever, enforced

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s more than a tinge of folk horror to this lingering mystery, which brings to mind the 1973 genre landmark The Wicker Man, in which a puritanical police officer travels to a remote island community that’s reverted to old pagan ways. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 15 June 2026

There was something puritanical and stunted in all of this critical handwringing. —Mark Rozzo, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026

When the original writer walked off, Spiegel connected Lean with playwright Robert Bolt, an important collaborator who, like the director, was the product of a puritanical childhood, during which he was considered the dunce of the family. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026

Saudi Arabia’s founder had just taken control of Mecca with the help of a fiercely puritanical religious militia. —Iqbal Akhtar, The Conversation, 25 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for puritanical

• biomechanical
• thermomechanical
• botanical
• brahmanical
• mechanical
• tyrannical
• electromechanical
• panicle